American Idol 9, March 16 – Making the Stones Seem Young Again

Randy tells Tim he didn’t get it, and it was really bizarre, the whole reggae version of it. He didn’t think it served him or his vocals well. Ellen is going to boo herself first, then says she felt she was at a resort, drinking a pina colada and listening to somebody sing. it was a cool takeoff on it and sounded great, but on a night like this when he needed to wow them, it was too laid back.

Kara totally gets that, but also applaudds him for doing something incredibly different with the song, and whether he likes it or not, he made it his own. Tim says that was the idea, to not present himself as different than he is. Simon, too, applauds him as doing something different, but also says it didn’t work. He also thinks Stones fans are turning their TVs off, as it didin’t work with that type of beat, making it a crazy decision. Tim knew it was a huge risk and that he wouldn’t sound or look like the Stones anyway, so he thought he could have fun with this and did.

Siobhan Magnus is from Cape Cod, which she says is pretty small, and she’s from the particular town of Barnstable. Her family is pretty large and a great support sustem in everything she ever needed. Her dad says very little time goes by where someone isn’t doing art of playing an instrument in their house. There’s a piano in their living room where she and her dad would both go to blow off steam. Every time she sings, it still amazes him. Tonight Siobhan is singing Paint It Black, and she starts it very subdued, sitting on Adam’s steps, but then kicks it in. It’s fitting for her personality, yet I just wish I could have heard her on something that allowed her to belt it a little more. And then comes the end.

Randy tells Siobhan she was bringing the drama to American Idol season 9 and tells her it was hot. Ellen loved the way she looked, sounded, and did the song. She rises above like Snooky’s Hoof, whatever that is. Kara is having flashbacks of Adam Lambert with the stairs and drama, and it’s the best interpretattion tonight. She did the most with the song and is the most interesting. Simon totally agrees and finds it the standout performance of the night. He thinks what we’re seeing now is the development now from the middle shows to this, and thinks she might have to scream at the end of every song. He knows a lot of people are going to love it, and thinks a lot will also hate it, which he feels is a good place to be.

Lee Dewyze gets the stool chat now and talks about working paycheck to paycheck a few months ago at the paint store. He admits this is a little different crazy and fun. Ryan wants to talk about paint colors and asks if he knows what color snugglepuss is. Lee doesn’t know, but guesses purple. He’s right. Cupid’s Dart he gets wrong, though, as it’s a light purple, not red.

In his film clip, Lee talks about being from Mt. Prospect, IL, which I used to drive to every few months for a haircut. He says when he was yonger he was embarrassed to sing in front of people, but he sang for his parents if everyone promised to not look at him. They couldn’t believe how good he actually sounded once he did sing. Now here he is in front of millions, singing Beast of Burden, and the acoustic guitar. I thinks this is the perfect song for him to do acoustic, and he does start off with some nerves, but he totally kicks it in by the second chorus. He just has the type of voice I like.

Randy tells Lee what he loves is that he really came home with it as a singer/songwriter type of thing, kind of like a cross between Rob Thomas andt Dave Matthews. He thought it was dope and one of his better performarnces. Ellen thought it was great and that he sounded great, but out of all people, she was expecting a tiny bit more from him with the Stones. It just kind of didn’t come all together like a hospital gown.

Kara thnks Lee’s growing faster than anybody on the stage, taking more risks with his vocal and being less pitchy. Simon really likes him as a person and likes his story, but feels it’s also what holds him back, as he doesn’t shine. It was indicative tonight, as he chose a safe song, but what is frustrating is he has an incredible voice, and Simon prays he’ll be back, to come back and have a moment and slap his mark on the competition and stop thinking people are better than him. Lee says he knew it was a safe song in a way, but he also felt if he rocked it out, he would have been safe too.

Paige Miles is from Naples, Florida, and finds her mom an amazing person after raising her and her brother alone after their dad passed away. He had been paralyzed from the neck down since she was 2, then died when she was 4. Her mom has passed on her musical influences from singing in church. She got goose bumps the first time she knew Paige had “it.” After her first show everyone came up and said she was really good, and would come to church more often. She sings Honky Tonk Woman tonight, and this is the first time I hear any inklings at all of what Simon has been talking about, with her having th best voice of all the girls there. She needs a little more honky tonk in there, though, and a little less vibrato. I thinks this was a big risk for her that works way more than I would have given her credit for. I’d love to see her and Siobhan go toe to toe with those big ole voices.

Randy agrees he wasn’t sure if this would be good when he heard Paige was dong it either, but he thinks she did alright with it and kind of pulled it out. He wishes she had more energy and rocked it out though. Ellen liked that she used the stage and finds that she has such star quality and presence on stage. She mentions Paige has been struggling with her voice, and says no one would know.

Kara agrees she hit some big notes for someone struggling, At times she got a little lost, but the Paige they fell in love with, working the stage and knowing herself, is back. Simon asks about her voice and Paige says she has laryngitis. No wonder she didn’t have energy! He says taking that into account, she did great, Some was a bit generic, and he still thinks she’s better than that. She still needs to find a way to connect, but at least at moments, they heard the big voice from when they really liked her in Hollywood. Paige admits that was her first full-out performance of the week, and she wasn’t really allowed to rehearse the song with her voice.